OPINION
Can I clean your clock? (New York Times, 7/14/2009) Over the past decade, whenever I went to China and engaged Chinese on their pollution and energy problems, inevitably some young Chinese would say: “Hey, you Americans got to grow dirty for 150 years, using cheap coal and oil. Now it is our turn.”
ACEF v. Jiangyin Port Container: First case with environment group as plaintiff? (China Environmental Law Blog, 7/10/2009) The China Business News reported on Wednesday about a case pending before the Jiangsu Provincial Intermediate People’s Court which it billed as the “first full operation in China of a public lawsuit with an environmental organization [the All-China Environmental Federation (ACEF)] as the main plaintiff.”
China’s bag ban, one year later (China Dialogue, 7/10/2009) In an effort to reduce “white pollution”, the country restricted the sale, distribution and manufacture of flimsy plastic sacks. Is the effort working? chinadialogue joined the discussion in Beijing.
China encounters factory farming (China Dialogue, 7/9/2009) The emergence of swine flu has raised fears about the potential public health impacts of industrial animal agriculture. Mia MacDonald asks if China can avoid the mistakes made by factory-farming nations in the west.
PUBLIC SECTOR/NGOs
Mother dog nurses lesser pandas at north China zoo (Xinhua, 7/16/2009) Two lesser pandas who were abandoned by their mother shortly after birth at a north China zoo are now healthy and content thanks to their competent wet nurse: a mother dog, zoo workers said Thursday.
196,000 people suffer water shortage after prolonged drought in NW China (Xinhua, 7/16/2009) More than 196,000 residents in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region are suffering drinking water shortage because of a drought of almost half a year, local authorities said Thursday.
Hopes rest on China to save Copenhagen climate deal (Radio Australia, 7/16/2009) A top Australian climate change economist says there are reasons to hope that China will act to rescue the floundering Copenhagen climate change negotiations, but nothing is certain.
Hong Kong roadside air pollution worsens: data (Agence France-Presse, 7/16/2009) Street-level air pollution in Hong Kong's busiest districts has soared over the past four years, official data has shown, despite a government campaign to curb vehicle emissions in the Chinese city. The government recorded a total of 1,066 hours of "very high" air pollution, equal to more than 44 days, in three main city districts in the first half of 2009 - a sixfold jump compared to the same period in 2005.
Four artificially-bred South China tigers survive in China zoo (Xinhua, 7/15/2009) A zoo in central China's Henan Province said Wednesday that four South China Tiger cubs produced by artificial breeding had survived.
Reintroduced Chinese alligators now multiplying in the wild in China (Wildlife Conservation Society, 7/14/2009) The Wildlife Conservation Society announced today that critically endangered alligators in China have a new chance for survival. The WCS's Bronx Zoo, in partnership with two other North American parks and the Department of Wildlife Conservation and Management of the State Forestry Administration of China, has successfully reintroduced alligators into the wild that are now multiplying on their own.
Rainstorm kills at least 22 in southwest China (Xinhua, 7/14/2009) A rainstorm which began last Thursday has killed at least 22 people in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality and the neighboring Sichuan Province, incomplete statistics from the local governments said Tuesday.
Lack of folic acid blamed for birth defects in China’s coal-rich province (Xinhua, 7/13/2009) A two-year study of 25,000 babies has found that a lack of folic acid, essential for neural tube formation, was the main cause of birth defects in China's Shanxi Province.
China to become leader in green technologies: Italian experts (Xinhua, 7/11/2009) China is set to become a global leader in the implementation of environmental-friendly policies and green technologies to tackle climate change, an Italian expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Bird-loving lama gets credit for wildlife protection (Xinhua, 7/9/2009) Tashi Zumpo, a 39-year-old lama monk from Guolo Prefecture of Qinghai Province on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, probably never imagined that his love for the rare birds in his hometown would be made public nationwide.
CORPORATIONS
Can Tengzhong persuade China to support the hummer deal? (Wall Street Journal, 7/15/2009) Chinese regulators have a lot to say about Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery’s bid for General Motors’s Hummer arm. Just Tuesday, after the obscure Chinese company filed for regulatory approval, the central government’s powerful Ministry of Commerce showed its support. But then the National Development and Reform Commission, which monitors economic restructuring and promotes sustainable development, raised concerns.
China to support greener palm oil (Mongabay.com, 7/15/2009) China-based producers and users of palm oil said they will provide more support for sustainable palm oil, reports WWF. The move could boost efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of the world's most productive oilseed.
Gansu breaks ground on RMB 120b wind park (JLM Pacific Epoch, 7/15/2009) Jiuquan, Gansu province has broken ground on an industry park for wind and photovoltaic equipment manufacturers that is expected to contain a RMB 120 billion-invested wind electricity base with capacity in the dozens of megawatts, reports Gansu Economic Daily.
Greenwashing the bamboo bandwagon (Examiner.com, 7/15/2009) Whether it is living a green lifestyle, or trying to incorporate more eco-friendliness into your current way of life, folks are in search of sustainable “green” products that seem to be vetted only by marketing. We are inundated daily with products advertisement, more now than ever with television, web banners, billboards, magazines and emails. The “green” bandwagon is a marketing treasure for some product manufacturers, who with good intentions may have a green product, but not necessarily have green processes.
$644m deal for eco-city (The Straits Times, 7/14/2009) The firm behind the Tianjin eco-city in China clinched a three billion yuan (S$644 million) deal yesterday, with a Japanese company, to build a 40ha integrated riverfront neighbourhood.
China energy recovery wins a waste heat recovery system contract (PRNewswire-Asia, 7/14/2009) China Energy Recovery, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CGYV) (ISIN: US16943V2060; "CER"), a leader in the waste heat energy recovery sector of the industrial energy efficiency industry, today announced that the company has won a contract to design and manufacture a waste heat recovery system for the new 300,000 ton annual capacity sulfuric acid plant of Wuxi Zhenyu Chemical, a joint venture between Marubeni, a Japanese Fortune Global 500 company, and Wuxi Sulfuric Acid, a leading sulfuric acid producer in Jiangsu Province. The contract value amounts to RMB4.98 million (approximately US$0.73 million).
Mining company inquiry puts focus on black market in China’s steel industry (New York Times, 7/14/2009) Long before four employees of the Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto were detained here last week on suspicion of stealing state secrets, people working in China’s steel industry were complaining about bribery, deceit and a system turned rotten.
Research and markets: Chinese coal power plant market report: Government regulations enable sustained growth for the Chinese coal power plant market (M2Presswire, 7/13/2009) This Frost & Sullivan research service titled Chinese Coal Power Plant Market provides overall market growth, revenue analysis, market share analysis, competitive structure, industry challenges, drivers, restraints, and pricing trends. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the current situation of Chinese coal power plant market, the coal power generating equipment market, and the environment protection equipment.
Industrial enterprises blamed for pollution (Global Times, 7/13/2009) Industrial enterprises have been issued a warning to take major responsibility for the country’s environmental pollution, according to a report by a leading research center released Sunday at a corporate citizen seminar held in Beijing.
Port container firm sued for environmental violation (China.org.cn, 7/9/2009) The Jiangsu Provincial Intermediate People's Court will hear a case from the All-China Environmental Federation, which is suing Jiangyin Port Container Co. Ltd., for environmental violations. This marks the first full operation in China of a public lawsuit with an environmental organization as the main plaintiff, China Business News reported on July 8.
GOVERNMENT
Asian nations could outpace U.S. in developing clean energy (The Washington Post, 7/16/2009) Asian nations are pouring money into renewable energy industries, funding research and development and setting ambitious targets for renewable energy use. These plans could outpace the programs in Obama's economic stimulus package or in the House climate bill.
Beijing spends over CNY100 million reducing subway noise (ChinaCSR, 7/16/2009) Beijing has spent more than CNY100 million reducing the noise of its No. 4 Subway Line which is to be formally put into operation in September this year.
Taiwan aims to impress with eco-friendly Games (Agence France-Presse, 7/16/2009) The World Games open today in southern Taiwan, with the island looking to impress the world with its state-of-the-art facilities, less than a year after rival China staged the Summer Olympics.
Iron ore talks ongoing despite Rio detentions (Global Times, 7/16/2009) The detention of Rio Tinto executives on spying accusations has allegedly wreaked "havoc" on the world's second-largest iron ore miner's sales in China, as the nation's steel mills took a wait-and-see approach on ore imports from the Anglo- Australian conglomerate, Chinese State media reported yesterday.
Officials: No radiation threats in Henan (China Daily, 7/15/2009) The leakage of radiation at a factory that sterilizes various foods has not polluted the environment in Kaifeng, Henan province, nor does it threaten public health, according to local environmental protection authorities.
EU calls for more cooperation with China against climate change (Beijing Review, 7/15/2009) The European Union (EU) will lead the global action against climate change and wants to deepen cooperation with China, said Andreas Carlgren, Swedish Minister for the Environment, whose country currently holds the EU presidency.
Beijing uses fish to monitor water quality (Xinhua, 7/15/2009) Chinese scientists have adopted the principle of the coal mine canary to monitoring water quality by using fish to test for pollutants.
US, China plan joint clean-energy research center (Kansascity.com, 7/15/2009) The U.S. and China, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters, announced plans Wednesday for a joint clean-energy research center. The center, with initial financing of $15 million and headquarters in both countries, will focus on clean coal, building efficiency and clean vehicles, said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
US and China team up on Cleantech research: Bane or Boon for IP (Reuters, 7/15/2009) Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has inspired hand-wringing among some companies and trade groups in recent months with calls for the international community to take a “very collaborative” approach to improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This morning, the Department of Energy offered a first glimpse of how Chu’s vision of collaborative cleantech innovation will really unfold, announcing plans to develop a new U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center, starting with a total of $15 million in funding (split equally) from the two governments. The figure seems low in the context of a $787 billion stimulus package, but the DOE says it’s just an initial investment to get the project up and running.
US, Chinese officials discuss energy cooperation (Voice of America, 7/15/2009) The U.S. energy secretary says global warming is proceeding more quickly than originally predicted. Stephen Chu is in China, the world's top emitter of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, to urge greater Sino-American cooperation to combat the problem.
China allocates 5.98 million on environment of Mt. Qomolangma Nature Reserve (China Tibet Online, 7/14/2009) The China Meteorological Administration has approved and initiated a project of building system of environmental monitoring and mountaineering and tourism services on the Mt. Qomolangma Nature Reserve, according to the Scientific and Research Center of Tibet Meteorological Administration.
Green cops see red (Shanghai Daily, 7/14/2009) Eco-cops are sniffing the air, testing the waters and citing the stinkers. In suburban Nanhui area, Zhang Qian joins the pollution patrol and takes a deep breath.
Climate-change bill gives China advantage over U.S., putting U.S. industries and jobs at risk, says government report (CNS News, 7/14/2009) The American Clean Energy and Security Act--the so-called “cap-and-trade” climate-change bill--that passed the U.S. House of Representatives last month would give manufacturers in certain industries in the Communist People's Republic of China an advantage over their U.S. competitors and put U.S. jobs at risk, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Printed circuit board producers urged to seek green solution (China Daily, 7/13/2009) The printed circuit board (PCB) industry is vital to manufacturers of computing components, automotive parts, cellular phones, flat-screen television displays and other devices considered essential to our modern lifestyles.
China builds high wall to guard energy industry (New York Times, 7/13/2009) When the United States’ top energy and commerce officials arrive in China on Tuesday, they will land in the middle of a building storm over China’s protectionist tactics to become the world’s leader in renewable energy.
Guangzhou to ensure better air quality for Asian games (China Daily, 7/13/2009) The local environmental protection authority has pledged to ensure better air quality during the 16th Asian Games next year by spending up to 600 million yuan to tackle the problem of air pollution, Yang Liu, deputy director of Guangzhou environmental protection bureau, told China Daily.
EU carbon reform proposals no threat to China: official (Reuters, 7/13/2009) Proposals by the European Union to tighten a U.N.-run global carbon offsetting regime will help China rather than hinder it, a policy official with the European Commission said.
China offers three-point proposal on tackling climate change (Xinhua, 7/11/2009) Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Thursday offered a three-point proposal on the global fight against climate change. In a speech at the leaders' meeting of a forum of major economies on energy security and climate change, Dai said that firstly, the right principle should be upheld in tackling climate change.
Nine jailed for selling contaminated pork (Shanghai Daily, 7/10/2009) Nine people involved in six separate cases of selling contaminated pork in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, were sentenced to jail yesterday.
Kazakhstan completes China gas link segment (Reuters, 7/10/2009) China moved a step closer to securing a new source of gas supply on Friday when Kazakhstan finished building its segment of a pan-Central Asian gas pipeline designed to address China's growing energy needs.
Green energy attracts investors (China Daily, 7/10/2009) Prompted by the government initiative to reduce the country's dependence on coal as an energy source, many Chinese firms are investing heavily in alternative energy projects.
Beijing eliminates over 80,000 polluting vehicles (ChinaCSR, 7/9/2009) A representative from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau has disclosed to the local media that, as at June 30, 2009, Beijing had controlled and eliminated a total of 82,503 high pollution vehicles.
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